HISTORY OF CAVALLO, OHIO

By Bob Hopkins Book

"Faces and Folklore"

While the community of Cavallo is now in Coshocton County, it originated as Butler town in Knox Countysouth of Flat Run Road. One of Ben Butler’s brothers lived and died in the area and may be responsible for the name. Cavallo, platted in 1837, became a shipping point on the Walhonding Canal with at least four warehouses. When the feeder dam was built to insure a flow into the gate lock on the East side of the Mohican River, the town was in danger of flooding, and was moved across the river to what was then Wintergreen. Rochester was established ½ mile north as the main canal dock.

There is a folk tale that at the height of the canal trade, Cavallo was such a prosperous community that it was considered as the new state capital. The area was a leading wool center (Knox led the eastern states) and stories abound concerning rustling. There are extensive caverns in the hills above the town. Some rocks of which have Indian petrography. They were supposedly used for hiding sheep and stills. There is at least one cavern on the west side of the river. For a reputed speak easy see "Liquor & Prohibition."

One story teller related a tale of air ships which would come from Akron, land, take local sightseers for a ride, and then exchange passengers from Akron by train for the return trip. We would show the huge rock with an eyelet for mooring. I suspect that this was a gate lock for the canal or moor for boats.

Compiled by, D. Snyder, Historian - 1 April 2006. This article copied from a newspaper article sent to museum from Janet (Bumpus) Jacobs who grew up in Tiverton Township. Photograph furnished by Ronald Chaney son of Orlando from West Lafayette and Joe and Donna Krietzer of Tydall. For more pictures of the area, please visit the gallery